Social media is lying to you about Burma’s Muslim ‘cleansing’

Don't you wonder sometimes, that the information we are being fed on daily basis can be untrue entirely or exaggerated to the point where it loses all its truth? PHOTO: REUTERS

Social networking sites are abuzz with news about Muslims being killedin Burma.You can see the sporadic posting of pictures by different people with captions like ‘Muslims killing in Burma’, ‘Muslims slaughtered by Buddhists in Burma’ and so on.

Thus, I took on the mission to sort the truth out for myself once and for all and researched some pictures that I felt were dubious. Below are a few pictures and their original copies. You can evidently see the gross difference between them and how they are thrown out of context.

This picture was taken in 2010 after an earthquake in China and captures the efforts put in by the Tibetans to help rescue the victims. Now, Islamic political parties and some other elements are sharing this image as Muslim killing and their slaughter in Burma.

Another widely circulated picture captioned “More then 1,000 people killed in Burma” is also fake.

The original, as you can see below, is taken in Thailand in the year 2004. This picture shows protesters that were tear-gassed outside the Tal Bai police station in Bangkok. This is roughly 1,409.9 km away from Burma! What is grossly negligent about these photos is the factual ignorance of the hate these misleading photos can culminate.

Below, please find another image which was posted online, this time with an imprint of Jamaat-e-Islami on the top left . It reads ‘Terrorists of Budhism of Burma kills 500 Muslims’.

As you can guess, this is also a fabricated picture.

In reality, this image belongs to a Human Rights violation incident by the Thai authorities against the Rohingya ethnic minority of Burma. These refugees were detained for a few weeks and then sent off drifting into the sea.

Here is another instance of such fallacy spreading across the social media sites regarding the massacre of Muslims in Burma.

This picture is extremely misleading considering that the original image was about the riots in Thailand that took place in 2003!

Now, take a look at the image below and observe how it is blown out of context.

Now, view the original.

The original picture is not even remotely close to what the picture above states. In fact, a Tibetan protester had set himself on fire in protest prior to the arrival of Chinese president Hu Jintao and that too in Delhi.

I do not deny the killings of Muslims in Burma – not even for a minute.

I think it is horrific and I am sympathetic towards the immense loss being suffered by my Muslim brothers and sisters abroad.

What I am against is being lied to.

Imagine the amount of lies we are being fed through these pictures. How can one trust any image online if such drastic manipulation and editing is being done to cater to someone’s political or personal agenda?

Social media and networking sites, if used properly, can be an impressive tool in spreading awareness amongst its users, but it can be an equally dangerous median as well if misused.

These images are false and are only igniting hatred and prejudice in our youth.

We need to become more vigilant and aware of the credibility and authenticity of pictures we browse through. It only takes one wrong image to push us over the edge towards extremism.

More by this writer

@Jamal Hassan:
Your link did not work. I want to said u again that open your eye. Muslim are not being killed in Burma. Some Muslim killed the people from Arakan State. Those Muslim are not burmeses and they are illegal migrants from Bangladesh. Recommend

ThwayThitSar

This is Real news! What happened in Myanmar with Bengali (Rohingya)! See it now!

if some pics are fake, it doesn’t means that Muslims are not killed in the Burma. on the basis of some fake pics you denies the truthRecommend

http://www.thesimtopianportal.devhub.com Gloria P

@ammar: No Brother, ALL Social Media does NOT lie. There is a great deal of truth to be found on the social sites, but one must take the time to research well. Second, most of what you see on social sites is presented by REGULAR PEOPLE, members who gather information and post it. Yes, some are misled, but not ALL. It’s foolish to put everyone into one group. I agree that this writer put together an interesting article, but he leaves out too much information. He completely ignores the trouble in other countries, that DOES prove Muslims are being victimized. I advise you to take the time to do some research on this subject for yourself. All of these people can’t be lying!Recommend

noor

@Abdul:
why all the media and NGOs ,red cross etc are denied access to those areas…?in absence of reality may be few people has pasted wrong pics as seeing is believing ,but ur article has tried to totally mislead the muslims about a painful massacre..u look like planted one, your research should have also mentioned what status those poor people have and why the mystery prevails in denying access to media out there.Recommend

myanmar

@Kamran Ali:
this is wrong information this people are inlegal citizen ..we don’t kill any musilin people..Recommend

The news is on the express now. A Program was aired on Express news at 10 PM with BBC Muslim cordinator n other scholars.
This killing of muslims is very true and those who are supporting and trying to ignore and trying to connive the truth are basically supporting this killing…Recommend

This is real story in Rakhine! We don’t hate muslim but some terriorist use the fake news to get help from innocent muslim from the world. The US , Europe and the world are looking the real condition! Help to stop the fake news not to damage Muslim dignity in the world!Recommend

syed Azeem

great work by author

groups like jamat islami do this to spread fake agendas and cash in on the hatred generated by these images for their jihadists ideologyRecommend

well why his research cant be fake…u can be fake person as well….no one can trust u..Recommend

Adnan Khan

There are scores of fake pictures of the Jewish Holocaust. Does that mean it did not happen ?. May not have happened on the scale that is bandied about, but there is a preponderance of evidence that it did. Same case with Bangladesh, where some people bandy about figures in the millions, which if taken seriously, given the human and time constraints, would have put Hitler’s war machine to shame.
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This article deals with the barely relevant issue of a handful of over-eager Muslims, clearly disappointed with the deafening media silence on this genocide, taking liberties. In the big picture, this should not even make a rippled. But, some people are loathe to give importance to non-issues, and in the process, muddy the waters.
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The focus should be on the Rhongiyan massacre. But here, we got smoke up our wazoo.Recommend

Muslims are a problem everywhere they live. Even in their own countries where they hate non muslims the most. If a non muslim kills a muslim, its a big issue but when muslims kill muslims, there is no protest.Recommend

toqeer

@Asad Habeeb: your name is islamic and islamic is very bad so change it also ??? still slave and remain slaveRecommend

Kursk

It’s a tragedy when there is ethnic cleansing..however; if the Muslim Ummah is to be completely truthful with itself, they have been on the giving end of the cleansing for 1300+ years, from the moment Mohammed’s armies spread out from the Arabian Peninsula to the minute Suleiman’s armies were vanquished before the Gates of Vienna..Today, Christians all across the Middle East and in all Arab countries are persecuted and ethnically cleansed from areas that have been (in most cases) their ancestral homes long before the rise of Islam (witness: the Copts in Egypt).

I have a hard time believing that there can be any righteous indignation from Muslims when an historically oppressed people ( see: Buddhist practitioners) give back a little taste of what has been wreaked upon them for hundreds and hundreds of years.As you sow,so shall you reap.

Christianity is fast disappearing from the Middle East, and is being murderously excised from Pakistan as we speak. This is the direct result of Islamic intolerance for the other. It seems that if you object to this totalitarian nonsense, you will be permanently silenced as well, as a couple of Pakistani govt officials recently found out.Since Muslims believe that they are God’s chosen people, this unfortunately will necessitate a very bad ending for the ever shrinking ranks of Christians.Many in the West see Islamic tears as being quite reptilian in nature, and many react with skepticism when Muslims claim to be the oppressed.History and current events prove otherwise.Recommend

This is disturbing as it gets. A guy keeping his personal opinion intact shares photos without authentication and validation on Social Media, which is as stupid as it gets. On the other hand , there is a guy who is putting some facts together and tries telling the story in a just way. However, what I don’t get is none of the people and parties validate anything or physically do anything about it. We get fed s* all day and every day on social media or electronic media which is carefully drafted by masses. Calling Islamic extremist to each other and liberal in some other sense, we are all slaves. Deen is the way to get out of this ring of false and misleading information to shape you mentality and thinking. No wonder FITNAH is already among us. Seek the help of Quran and pray for the right. Recommend

Uneekswatian

Before wasting your time to create such a post you should have just google the topic, you are explaining here.

Please read the below news and correct what ever you have written, if you don’t know the truth then don’t mislead the people.

Where was the traditional media when it all started happening? promoting fashion week and all the other crazy things? None of the TV channels and Newspapers ran this news….
Pictures were fake but the story wasn’t so why did traditional media took so long to cover this issue. Recommend

My Peace

This all of your picture is not from Myanmar. Some picture from Thailand, Tibet . Mostly your news are wrong information. Don’t post like that wrong information to your wall. Inquire what is the base of problem. This is not fighting for religious. We all respect to other religious. You should make sure what is the base of this problem. So many Rohingyas are staying with illegal way in Myanmar. Then they make the big problem. Anyway we all are human. So, don’t look at only one side. We need peace all over the world. We don’t violent.Recommend

http://www.centricconsulting.net Abdul Ghayoor Rana

Pity the nation which is in state of denial. If you cannot do something for your muslim brothers and sister but at least you should condemn what is happening with them. Instead you are trying to show that there is nothing wrong going on with them. what a shameless you are Mr Faraz! Read some reality here..http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-18933908Recommend

My Peace

This all of your picture is not from Myanmar. Some picture from Thailand, Tibet . Mostly your news are wrong information. Don’t post like that wrong information to your wall. Inquire what is the base of problem. This is not fighting for religious. We all respect to other religious. You should make sure what is the base of this problem. So many Rohingyas are staying with illegal way in Myanmar. Then they make the big problem. Anyway we all are human. So, don’t look at only one side. We need peace all over the world. We don’t want violent..Recommend

@Alan:
The Rohingya are illegal Immigrants. You have to look from both sides. You are aware that the riots in June 2012 were primarilly started by Rohingya mobs. Burma is still a poor country staying at the bottom of world countries. It can’t afford to look after foreigners who crossed the border decades ago. We know that they are suffering. Why should poor Myanmar continue to house and feed them. Let other richer Muslim countries take them in real Muslim family spirit.Recommend

Rahim

why don’t we give so much attention to Muslim-on-Muslim violence? … who is keeping track of senseless killings of Muslims in Syria, Iraq, Balouchistan, Karachi etc at hands of Muslims ?Recommend

plz watch the link above a very rare international media coverage and decide for yourself rather thn social media. jazakAllah khairRecommend

eti

you can find easily the misleading of social media but it’s not true about traditional mediaRecommend

Architect

finally ET has published something on Burma issue.. BUT WAIT.. what the hell is this…???
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Yeah those who posted fake pictures are culprits.. AGREED
but…
what about those who r silent???Recommend

http://shazasscrapbook.com Shaza’s Scrapbook

It’s good to see that there are people out there who want to know the truth. However, the conclusion that MANY people will draw from this article is that the killings are not real. Your article is more about media, so I think it would have been best had you included pictures from other news/events/tragedies. By solely using pictures from one incident, you are overshadowing the seriousness and tragedy that these people are going through.Recommend

Great Work Faraz !! Reminded me of a Sardarji in a joke who experimented really hard on a cockroach and after breaking 4 of its legs witnessed that the cockroach wont jump when he said “JUMP” and hence concluded that the cockroach becomes deaf after breaking its legs. Wonderful effort and keep up the great work !!!Recommend

@Real Burmese:
A people living at any geographical location for decades are not its citizen ??
What about the new borns that were born on that perticular soil !!
Can U be more racist & absurd !!
U urself in the comment are displaying ur hatred & bias while very conveniently blame the forigen media for exploiting & mis-communicating !!
A people that are homeless and are forced to flee just for mere survival who are not even given the right of citizenship despite decades on the same soil can such a group be expected to perpetrate voilance against a mojority that is resourcefull and has the govt. support !!
Can u be more conflicting then u alredy are !! Recommend

Waitin for our dear Imam Mahdi(promised)

@Alan:
maybe you have not seen these things and maybe you are escaping from the reality!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Recommend

Aung

Thanks Faraz Ahmed for all people of Myanmar for truth post of yours. The guys who do not believe it can come to my country and look for yourself. I don’t know why people make worsen by making this nonsense false news…Recommend

Lana

@Alan:
If you are working there, see the evidences and have access to online, why don’t you try uploading picture of Muslims being massacred? We are willing to see.Recommend

http://e-irfan.com/ Irfan Chohdry

so you wanted to say everything is good in Burma isn’t ? these images may be fake but watch at least one of the many available videos online from media :

Dear Mr. Faraz Ahmed, while I applaud you for your good work, I would suggest you consider reworking your title because it is misleading. While the photos are definitely doctored, the mass killings and persecution in Burma are real.Recommend

Aziz

Assalam O Alykum,

My Brother and Sister,

give me 10000 muslim I will repeat the history.
In world if any muslim will call for help we will be there.

Its is very good job i rely appreciated ur this kind of efforts Recommend

shk

Thanks for your great work!! And this is not a war between Muslims and Buddhists.. Many Muslims live peacefully in Myanmar.. It’s because of the illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.. They raped a Rakhine girl.. They burnt the native Rakhines’ houses.. and they want all Muslims on their side.. so they make fake news and photos to get awareness from other Muslims.. Please come and see what is actually happening in Myanmar.. Don’t judge from news and photos on the web…Recommend

http://www.jungle-eye.com Ashley Christudason

Thank you so much for your research & for bringing peace to my mind, Faraz brother! You’re helping all of us be more aware in our interactions with social media. Peace to you! Recommend

http://www.facebook.com M.Sethi

Agreed, It is quite possible that the certain photos posted by some bloggers to highlight the plight could not be relating to the ongoing racial and ethnic cleansing being undertaken by the state sponsored genocide of Muslim Rohingya minority in Burma (Myanmar). But this certainly and by no means depicts or justify, that the social network is lying !

In fact on the contrary it appears that the author is pathetically not being fair and honest and twisting the reality on ground and misleading the readers away from the truth,for reasons best known to him.

I append below a few excerpt with their respective links from the mainstream media which confirm the authenticity of what the Social network is making people aware of online.

How come Pakistanis have so much time going viral over an issue that doesnt even relate to their own country while there is top notch corruption, killings and crimes happening in their own country?Recommend

Kashif Naseem

Get your heads out of the ground and stop giving verdicts on Islamists and Muslims based on single opinionated articles. Muslims are being presecuted in Burma and even if pictures posted in social media are fake, its doesn’t change that reality. Aljazeera has done a whole program on that. Go watch it before you honor us with your unwelcomed opinions on issued which ofcourse you have no clue about.http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/insidestory/2012/07/201272383656931979.htmlRecommend

There is truth about killing of muslims in Burma although I agree the social media coverage may be inappropriate. Even your paper carries a story about it in todays web edition. Recommend

Qamar H. Jafarey

Best way to settle the debate is that instead of relying on images and picture which can easily be manipulated or photo shopped Myanmar government should be approached to allow journalists into the country to probe ground realities. Red Cross, OIC, UN can send fact finding missions. Bangla Desh/Burma borders may be monitored by independent journalist to unearth the truth. Recommend

Khalid

evidences given by several brothers are enough. Not to talk of Jamat e Islami but talk about BBC and Amnesty International that have published the massacre evidences in details.
We should not always look in such matters in religous context. Its a brutal Human Rights voilation issue. We condemn all those who kill or abuse innocent people irrespective to thier religion or race.Recommend

Jawad Ali

There is an Amnesty International report which clearly said that the Muslim minority tribe Rohingya is being targeted by budhists and thousands have been massacared. Dawn has already reported on that. Plus UN and other Aid agencies have also highlighted it. The writer Faraz Ahmed needs to research a bit more and find the truth before putting his pen on paper. I have always believed that pen is mightier than sword, therefore, the writer always has more responsibility on him before he writes something that is completely false. Hope Tribune can spend some money and time in investigative journalism and write something which is credible enough. If anybody required any clarifications you may visit the below link of DAWN website.

I think the message is simple Iran wants to buy time be out of the media spotlight as we all know Iran is a nuclear armed nation, so the can fabricate a scheme to make public look the other way. Therefore allowing them make more nuclear and biological weapons in secret. Recommend

It’s Really Really shameful act of dead by author hiding the burning issue of Burma’s Muslims which are being killed by cruel ways. It’s sure that author is biased & so called author working for some specific reasons.Keep remember one day we all have to face the day of judgement & that day no one can save his/her selves from Allah Almighty’s React which would be very strict.
Important thing where have been lost so called human welfare’s organizations now.?Are these blind on this issue.Really Really Biased these are…..except few counties Whole the world has set it’s aim just to destroy n kill Muslims & they are working accordingly.
Muslims need to be united so that they can save themselves from anti Muslims Lobbies.If now we ignored Burma’s Muslims today one days we will face the same day

Here is AI report
BANGKOK – Communal violence is continuing in western Myanmar six weeks after the government declared a state of emergency there, and much of it is being directed at minority Muslim Rohingyas who have been beaten, killed and raped, Amnesty International said Friday.

Who are you people? Most these posts are Muslim names yet commending the article?! What happened to you people? Are you really happy the images are fake so you would feel less guilt that you are not doing anything for Muslims in Burma? I’ve never seen many hypocrites in one place as in here. Wow. And I am wondering why this ummah is so humiliated. No wonder after today. Recommend

UMAR ABDULLAHI GALADIMA

I personally recommend the effort of the researcher on this issue. Accordingly i became seriously worried when i saw this picture for the first time because as Muslims we have that spirit of brotherhood and loving one another as enshrined in Qur’an and Sunnah, despite the geographical location or boundary. I also agreed to some extent with some of this findings because i was aware about the time when some of this picture came about. Nevertheless the fact is that Muslims have been brutalized and killed not only in Burma but in so many countries in the world, therefore it will be more expedient if the leadership of Muslims will do something to arrest the situation. On the same vein it will be good also if the researcher will travel to some of this country to ascertain the veracity of those pictures.Recommend

Fatima Batool

well after reading the whole article… i just can conclude that may be SOME of the Pictures are fake or edited…. but the main thing we must focus on is Rohingiyan Muslims are ACTUALLY being killed brutally. Your research is right.. im not denying that but for now what we really need is to focus on what is MORE IMPORTANT…. the FAKE PICTURES or the Muslim’s Massacre in Burma? Not a big deal if some pictures date back to different event ! whats going on in there is actually the same….. so plz stop digging around for useless facts…..Recommend

Madiha

to the author…. if u really thnk everythng is alright, might i suggest you to take a tour down to Burma and thn come back n write a review?!!!!! by publishng a couple of pictures whch i might agree are fake doesnt mean u hv done ur part in clearng thngs up…i thnk hv created such n irony in this situation by believng wat da social media has put up infrnt of u… 4 images doesnt declare u as da official authority on such matters… ur “research” can not hold true till u hv seen all da links , read all da news dat r suggested to u up above…. waitng for an article on ur safe return from Burma..Bon Voyage !!!Recommend

As details continue to trickle out of Burma, we can all agree that the sub-heading of this unfortunate article is an outright lie. A false, misleading statement that seems to be a thinly veiled, anti-Muslim propaganda ploy.
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Now ET/Faraz should have the decency to correct it, before it goes around pointing fingers at others.Recommend

inayat

AoA, Dear All What About that video in which 2 or 3 peoples are pushed to fire , they try to escape but bundles of people again put them in fire. please any one ???? thnx.Recommend

http://www.eaglesforgobalpeace.com syed

Dear Brother,

The killings are happening and world media is gradually realising it. The images you have shown, even with those subtitles (original as per your search) are misleading there too.
1.Load of bodies on rows to be set fire to? that is help of Tibetan Monks to China in Quake?
Tibetan monks use Red & Yellow dressings and they belong to different sect, and Myanmar monks use pure maroon, as shown in this picture.

Second image, mass bodies aside a river shore and title is outide of a Police Station? please for God sake open some eyes! it is a river bank not a police station.
Ever have you seen people with tear gas lying like these? .. mean to say your pictures in your called original context are misleading as well.
May or may not does not change the reality. It’s all over news that killings are happening there. It is our role as citizens to urge our respective governments to make Myanmar stop it!
and also, killings not a number’s game, wish that not a single person is dead there, but reaity stands as brutal as it is!

After reading and watching helplessly the recent massacre of minority Burmese Muslims by the Buddhist majority, let not another hypocrite sing that phoney and repugnant 'song' about Buddhists being "peaceful."

In June 2012, hundreds Burmese Muslims have been butchered, and many more injured and made homeless in Burma as a result religious intolerance by the Buddhist majority. The Burmese military government, far from trying to resolve the problem and protect the minority, has been silently conniving with the rioters by creating greater hardships for the Muslim minority.

The reason of this June 2012 riot is unknown except for the periodical outbursts of the Burmese Buddhists to show their might and vent their anger on the helpless minority. It is commonly accepted that the June 2012 massacre of Burmese Muslims was intentionally orchestrated by the rioters in collaboration with the government. Yet the world, including the UN, is conveniently silent. The brazenly hypocritical and unscrupulous woman, Aung San Suu Kyi, is very prompt at accusing the Burmese military of human rights violations when she is under house arrest. But she finds nothing wrong when the military helps the Buddhist mobs to murder the innocent Muslim minority of her country.

As in India, anti-Muslim riots are nothing unusual in Burma. Violence in Burma against Muslims have been erupting periodically since the 1920s based simply on religious intolerance by the Buddhist majority.

The Muslims of Burma mainly belong to the Arakan state in western Burma. They are known as Rohingya or Burmese Muslims. The term "Rohingya" has been derived from the Arabic word "Raham" meaning sympathy. Muslim settlements began being established in the Arakan province of Burma since the arrival of the Arabs in the 8th century. Presently about 800,000 Rohingya live in Burma. The United Nations describes them as "one of the world’s most persecuted minorities." Yet it has never bothered to help them.

Religious freedom for Muslims in Burma has been systematically curbed. In the post 9/11 era, random accusations of "terrorism" against Muslims have become a common form of persecution and harassment by Burmese Buddhists. Burmese Government does not consider Rohingya Muslims as citizens and they are hated by the Buddhist majority. Rohingya Muslims in Burma have long demanded recognition as an indigenous ethnic group with full citizenship by birthright. But the Government regards them as illegal immigrants from neighboring Bangladesh and denies them citizenship.

"Nobel Prize winner," Aung San Suu Kyi, does not consider Muslims as citizens. Speaking at London School of Economics meeting on June 2012 during her visit to the UK, she said "Rohingya Muslims should not be considered citizens." Later during her press conference at Downing Street, she did not condemn the killings of Rohingya Muslims taking place in Burma. Instead, she simply said that this "ethnic conflict should be investigated and dealt with wisdom." It wasn't just an insufficient response but a very shocking one from someone supposed to have won a "Noble Peace Prize."

The notorious master hypocrite and undercover CIA agent, Dalai Lama, continues to globe trot without mentioning a single word of the dangerously growing Buddhist intolerance in Burma, Thailand, Tibet and across the world. Such intolerance and persecution invariably result in resistance by the oppressed. Many Muslims have joined armed resistance groups, fighting for greater freedom in Burma.

On June 3rd 2012, eight Muslims returning to Rangoon in a bus after visiting a Masjid in the Arakan province were attacked by a mob of hundreds of Buddhists and slaughtered brutally. An eye-witness reported that after the mass murder "the culprits were celebrating triumph spitting and tossing wine and alcohol on the dead bodies lying on the road."

"These innocent people have been killed like animals," said Abu Tahay, of the National Democratic Party for Development, which represents the country’s much-persecuted stateless Muslim Rohingya community.

The Rohingya Muslims of Burma have continued to suffer from human rights violations under the Burmese junta since 1970s. Over the years thousands of Rohingya refugees have fled to neighboring countries like Thailand, Indonesia and Bangladesh etc. Even as refugees they have been facing hardships and have suffered persecution by the Thai government. In February 2009, a group of 5 boats packed with Burmese Rohingya Muslims were taken out and abandoned in the open sea by the Thai army. Four of these boats sank in a storm and one was washed ashore near the Indonesian islands. The few survivors who were rescued by Indonesian authorities told horrific stories of being captured and beaten by the Thai military and then abandoned at open sea.

Being "peaceful" or "humble" (as claimed by their biased supporters) is a far cry concerning the Burmese Buddhists. Their vindictive temperament prowls for vendetta, waiting to use even the most insignificant occurrence as an excuse to perpetrate violence on Burmese Muslims. At any time, if there's some ethnic disturbance between Muslims and Buddhists/Hindus in any other country, the Burmese Buddhists waste no time going on a murderous spry killing the Muslim minority in Burma. If there is the slightest of trouble between Muslims and non-Muslims in Indonesia, it's taken as a pretext to kill Muslims in Burma by Buddhist mobs. The destruction of the statues in Bamiyan (Afghanistan), created an immediate excuse to commit violence against Muslims in Burma in 2001. The firebrand Buddhist monks demanded a Muslim masjid to be destroyed in retaliation. Mobs of Buddhists led by monks, vandalized Muslim-owned businesses and property in Burma, and attacked and killed Muslims in Muslim communities.

Gruesome images of murdered Rohingya Muslims in the recent June 2012 riots in Burma have been circulated on websites, resulting in protests in several Muslim countries and by various human rights activists around the world demanding justice & protection in Burma for the minority, but has fallen on deaf ears as usual, getting little or no coverage from mainstream news channels.

PLEASE SEND THIS AROUND.
THE WORLD HAS THE RIGHT TO KNOW THE TRUTH.Recommend

Yar Zar

@GhulamQasim Khan:
What reality? This video also used fake photo that was actually happened in Thailand. I saw a clip a soldier and some so called Rohingya ppl on boat. This clip is in Bangladesh. Soldier is not Myanmar. What a shame lier!!! (I hope you can differentiate apperance of Mongoloid Myanmar ppl and Aryan/, Dravidian Bengali). I agree some crisis are happening in Arakan State. There has fighting and killing each other among native Arakanese and illegal migrant Bengali Rohingya. But you cannot say one side, Myanmar are killing Muslim. Recommend

mohammad

Pics may be Exaggerating and or false.. but events are not…… so lets cut the crap, it is
happening and Muslim(s) being killed .. one or hundreds.. but it is going on…

I have gone through all the feedbacks and finally i realised that all of you 50% right and 50% wrong. Right in sence whatever we have seen in these pcitures are fake and this guy has pointed the factual things and some how he figured it out the wrong picture and fake however whoever made these edit things does not mean it was happened exactly, may he didnt had any real picture but he wanted to convey the messeage through these pictures, further, it does not the mattar whether these pictures are fake or ture the mattar is that muslims ad being killed there……….sometime we cant convience the audience just telling the simple way..

İtz gud that sumone had put the reality befor us. Actually this iz all done by the people who had there own bloody ill intrests and they want there shall be always riots and clashes. And then they think by killing other religous people they will get Jannah . Oh God please change our mentality help us to come closer to each other so that we promot love and oneness rather then promoting hatred. We people are always fighting with each other by the reason of these bloudy people who always try there shall be religious riots. The best example is of Kashmir the bloody leaders are always puting hatredness in the minds of young youth . There own sons and daughters are studying abroad and the poor kashmiri remain illitrate. Oh God please forgive us and save us from these peopleRecommend

Actually read the whole thing

@Alan:

Or you could read the article. At the end the author explicitly states

“I do not deny the killings of Muslims in Burma – not even for a minute.

I think it is horrific and I am sympathetic towards the immense loss being suffered by my Muslim brothers and sisters abroad.

What I am against is being lied to.

Imagine the amount of lies we are being fed through these pictures. How can one trust any image online if such drastic manipulation and editing is being done to cater to someone’s political or personal agenda?”

Good on you for your red cross work but get off your high horse and think before you speak.Recommend

The Son of Islam

The Response of The Son of Islam to The Embassy of Myanmar from 26.7.2012

In the name of God the Merciful

We saw a number of a fake images that is not connected to Burma, and we made sure from every image befor we we decided to send the request for clarification to Myanmar embassy, and we are are convinced depending on irrefutable facts that there was a huge violations for the Rohingya’s human right’s and there was a terrible massacre against children, women and innocent men have nothing to do with the rape incident which you claim, then followed by burning of houses and displacing thousands of villagers at the hands of savages Buddhists without any mercy or conscience.

The decay to this level of cruel inhuman treatment cab be considered as a heinous war crimes because of the neglect and lack of intensity by the government against outlaws among the Buddhists, How can it be that the state only stand and watch these terrifying events and try to find a justifications in a lack of a number of security personnel while entire villages was burned and exterminated.

You can’t wash the blood and scandal of on your faces and your hands, this contempt considered as a main factor and a major cause of the continuous crime.

Finally, as a response for the issue of fake images, the conspiracy theories and all the misleading tales we can disproved by this documented report that beyond any doubt, with the support of competent international institutions in this field.

Dude. Seriously? Do you guys even read what did he wrote? He said, the massacre is real. But the main issue here is being lied by medias. They lied about the pictures. Oh my gosh read the whole thing pleaassee. Sometimes your ignorance are the cause of a fitnah.Recommend

JikOmo

@Mariam Tawfiq: well I believe he said that the genocide are real. The only faje thing the picture. Did you really read the whole thing? So much ignorance.Recommend

Afzal syed

what ever is your research but we can’t ignore that there is some thing fishy in Barma . I agree with u that people edited or editing photos but there is reality behind this . If there is normal situation then why international media is not allowed ? I do agree that the photos can be fake but there is a solid reason to edit the photos . I Personaly don’t believe all the photos but I can never ignore the incidence . Why you people are not imagining the situation . Your research is just about photos , but let me clear to the peoples that this is not the whole truth about Barma . Few days ago I read a article about refugees in Bangadesh with photos that what kind of difficulties they are facing ! if there is nothing wrong in Barma then why all they people left their homes ? 2nd thing is the statement of Barma’s president who said that we are trying /planning to transfer muslims to the safe parts or some where else . They have to kick of all these muslims . Recommend

Amnah

I disagree with your approach of travilizing the issue of ethnic cleansing of Muslims in Myanmar.Well without these doctored pic the story will never come out to create such massive interest or awareness or even the existence or plight of the Rohiniyans, has anyone ever bothered about what happened to them before? Has anyone questioned the freedom of press, UN Human Right officials and Pakistan’s own Ansar Burney Sb currently trying to go on fact finding mission are denied access to fact finding and visa from Mayanmar embassies in London, Washington etc.The only program operating in the area is UN Food program . One must understand, it as a reaction to the coming of democracy in the country where an ethnic cleansing is used to consolidate a majority, citizenships rights were declined on ethnic grounds and withdrawn in 1982 to make these people stateless . This is unacceptable in contemporary world we live in. Recommend

ezal

dont judge this situation by only that misuse of picture.. they are real guys… so how can they fake this?? Recommend

bllau

The basic Principle of Religious only teaches us to be good human, Non (Islam, Cristian, Hindu, Buddesh …. ) teaches human to kill any living things even small as an ant.

Than what is the Motives of this people who provote hatrate ? they may fool me but not God / Allah. he is watching …

People who did the killing are Not religious beliver, people who create the fack videos are Creminer and people who spread the video are Provoter.

That’s epic, when I read this words, “mission” and “researched” my first thought is you were going to Myanmar to see it by your eyes whether it is true or not.
Unfortunately, you just doing researched on the pictures.

I must agree the image is some kind exagerated.
But, is what happen to Rohingya really true, or actually nothing happen there?

@amir jafri: i did not see any point here…truth is truth…if made up consider fitnah just simple as that…Recommend

HUMAN

why so???!!!!!!!!!!!
all are human
why so massacre????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DAMN MURDERERS!
wishing peace for all people in world
DAMN USA & DALAHI LAMA & ALL KILLER !Recommend

Sardar Zaheer

@Jamal Hassan: Links u shared are not being previewed here in Pakistan…can u send me these through some other source…Recommend

Sardar Zaheer

i still want to know what is true situation of burmees Muslims….Recommend

Arkar YeHlaing

Thanks Faraz for your efforts. This really highlights the ongoing fallacies over the world-wide media and also throws the credibility of any electronic media over the internet on doubt. Pictures can be manipulated or simply miscaptioned to give even an opposite impression, and the social medias just fuels the wildfire spread of false information.

I am a Buddhist Burmese who was born and raised in Myanmar (Burma). As much as I have been in touch with the local media and international media alike, I am quite amazed at how many video links posted here in comments over the “ethnic cleansing” going on in Burma.

First, let me clarify the situation in brief. This conflict was between the Rohingya Muslims and the local Buddhist Burmese citizens, both residing in Arakan State. It is NOT a religious war between the whole Muslim community in Burma and the Buddhist government as it is spreading to the world’s media!

Rohingyas are in fact illegal immigrants into Arakan State of Burma from Bangladesh, which borders Burma on the west. Rohingyas mass-moved into Burma during British rule, but the governments over the time have rejected citizenship to them and confined them to border cities in west Arakan, where a reported 800k Rohingya population resides. Population explosion, discrimination and repression by government have made Rohingyas to wait for an opportunity to rise up and to invade more of Arakan cities for living space.

They got the spark they needed on June 4, 2012 when 10 Rohingyas were lawlessly murdered by local Arakanese furious over the rape and murder of an Arakanese girl by Rohingyas which happened 6 days earlier. Rohingyas started raging Arakan villages, robbing properties and torching villages, forcing tens of thousands of locals to refugee camps. The government army and security forces intervened, clashing with the rioting Rohingyas. A state of emergency and a curfew were issued on following days, with armed forces firing shots usually into the air to disperse the rioters, according to non-government reputable medias. The situation was subsequently calmed by mid-June, and the combined death of Rohingyas and Arakanese during the riots were reported officially to be less than 30. The Burmese government has been notorious for its transparency when it comes to casualty numbers, but there is no way for the death toll to hit hundreds, far from thousands as seen over the internet. 30 Arakanese who allegedly started the murder of 10 Rohingyas are now facing trials in court.

Islam is the 3rd most common religion in Burma after Buddhism and Christianity, and this event in Arakan had little to do with other Islamic communities across the country. There has been absolutely no harm to Islams outside of affected areas in Arakan. Islams in other states, including the largest and the most ethnically diverse city, Yangon, have been living normally and peacefully all these times, except at one point when they gathered in downtown Yangon after the government-run news media mentioned in Arakan riots news a term “kalar”, a racially abusive term in Burmese, for which the media immediately issued an apology and made correction.

In short, there is no such thing as Muslim genocide or ethnic cleansing happening in Burma or in Arakan. And it is painful to see many misleading reports tagging our country’s name in headlines as “Burma Killing”, “Burma Muslim cleansing”, “Stop Burma genocide” when even Islams in Burma regard this very event as nothing more than government suppressing terrorism attacks by Rohingya immigrants.Recommend

MUNEER

sham on you muslim natios is waiting for u and ur talking on the fact thet these pics are not true sham , selfish munslim,go and get the truth from burma ,if u don’t afraid, make a research on the truth of this fact ,not againts the the truth. it is not u ,ur NGO’s are talkig with u.Recommend

Neither the mainstream nor social media is a reliable source of facts. Either may be manipulated and, in reality, both ARE manipulated heavily.

The difference is, one is strained through a small group of powerful people who are serving the corporate consensus and one is variegated with the spin of individual understandings of consensus. You can find the truth by examining and comparing misleading stories from multiple sources. You cannot find the truth by listening to an organized group of people who are colluding to tell lies of omission.

Case in point. Slaughter in Burma IS happening. Didn’t hear about it on MSM.Recommend